dewees



(No Model.)

J. W. DEWEES.

FOLD GUIDE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 319,394. Patented June 2, 1885.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES;

Minn Salar es ldarnnr @rricie.

JOHN WV. DEl/VEES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEVVEES FABRIC TRIMMER COMPANY, (LIMITED,) OF SAME PLACE.

FOLD GUI DE FO R SEWI'NG MACHlNES.

UPEGIFEQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,39d, dated June 2, 1885. Application filed October 20, 1884. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. Dnwnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and 3 State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fold Guides for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference r being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform partof this specification, in which Figurelis aperspective of asewing-maehine (partly broken away) With my attachment. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of attachment with I cloth-platc, presser-foot, and needle, showing fabric as folded. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of attachment. Fig. at is a horizontal detail section. Fig. 5 is aninverted plan'of part of presser-foot. Fig. 6 is a perspective of anold form of hemmer.

My invention has relation to that class of sewing-machine attachments known as foldguides, and which are employed to form a hem orwelt on a fabric by folding the same at its. edge and holding the fold while it is being secured by stitching.

Many modifications of the forms of these attachments have been made heretofore, but in most if not in all of them certain general principlcs of construction are adhered to, as follows: They have a plate over which the ma terial to be hemmed is folded, and which may be properly called the foldingplate. They have also a guide or gage for regulating the distance of the line of stitching from the edge of the fold,and which serves, additionally, to keep said folded edge parallel with the line of stitching. In many of these attachments means are provided for regulating the width of the 4.0 fold or hem and for adjusting the guiding edge so that it may be parallel, if desired, with the line of feed or be made oblique thereto, such obliquity of edge being sought in order to secure lateral tension on the fabric, so as to bring that part of it in which the stitch is to be formed directlyunder the needle, and to avoid taking in too much fold on the onehand or loss of stitch on the other.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a fold-guide 5o possessing some of the above characteristics,

and which has been for many years in public use, and by comparison with which my improvements may be better understood.

My improvements thereon consist in certain details of construction and combination 5 5 hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. l therein shows a sewing-machine with my fold-guide attachment applied thereto. The stock or base of said attachment consists of a metallic block, A,which is fastened to the cloth-plate of the machine by a set-screw, a.

B is a horizontal rod,which passes through a transverse opening in the stock A,forming an 6 5 overhanging arm, and is provided at its inner threaded end with an adjusting-nut, b, whereby it may be moved lengthwise. Said rod is encircled-by a spiral spring, B, confined between a shoulder on the stock and a transverse pin or stud in the rod, said spring serving to press the rod outwardly when the nut is loosened.

On the outer end of rod B is a head, 0, to which is hinged at d a plate, D, whose inner 5 edge normally rests on the cloth-plate .of the machine, and is aligned with theline of feed of the latter. This is the folding-plate, and

' the fabric to be hemmed should be folded over and on it, as shown in Fig. 2, in order that the stitching may pass through a single thickness of the material,and also through the edge of the fold, so as to form what is known as the concealed stitch.

The edge of the folding-plate D may be moved to and from the needle, in order to adjust the line of stitching relatively to the thickness of the material sewed by turning the nut 11.

To hold the folded edge of the fabric up c against the edge of the folding-plate, I provide a tension device consisting of a plate, E, which fits partly in an undercut recess, a, on the forward side of the stock A,and projeets toward the adjacent edge of the folding-plate. Said tension-plate is formed or provided with a rearwardlyextending arm, 6, which fits in a guiding-groove or between Ways on the under side of the stock A. A push-spring, e, secured to the stock A in a suitable recess, presses 10o against this arm and forces the plate E toward the folding-plate, thereby binding the folded edge of the fabric between said two plates against the edge of said folding-plate. To aid this forcing movement or pressure, the presserfoot F is formed with beveled or slanting ribs or serrations f on its under side, said foot having its toe extended over the folding-plate, and having a needle-hole, f, at or about its middle. 1

Two notches, f f to form a hole for the passage of the needle, are made in the foldingplate and tension-plate, respectively, one in each, though, if desired, one notch in the folding-plate may suffice, the tension-plate then terminating just in advance of the needle.

In operation the fabric to be hemmed or welted is folded as shown in the drawings, the plate D passing between the lower folds, and the edge of the fabric, that is to be afterward trimmed off, lying inside of said plateedge or on the tension-plate. In introducing the fabric it is first folded,and then slipped in and around the plate D, thelatter rising readily, by reason of its being hinged, to facilitate such introduction and falling by gravity after the fabric has been duly inserted. The edge of the tension-plate crowds the folded edge of the fabric or keeps it pressed against the edge of the folding-plate and aligned with the line of stitching, the beveled teeth on the presserfoot aiding this operation, so that the needle forms the stitch through the upper thickness of the material and through the rounded edge of the fold beneath, producing the concealed stitch.

As the presser-foot rests over the folding: plate and on the fabric, it serves to aid the falling tendency of the folding-plate, so that the and to guide the operator, a gage is provided consisting of an arm orpointer, G, secured by a set-screw, g, on the rod 13, and adjustable laterally thereon.

What I claim as my invention is as follows:

1. A sewing-machine fold-guide comprising a stock orbase, A, adjustable overhanging arm B, and folding-plate extensible on the stock while the latter is stationary, and said plate being hinged at its outer side on said arm, its inner edge lying said arm being adjacent to the outer edge of stock A, and,

when applied to a sewing-machine, substan- D, supported at its outer extremity on said arm, and a tension-plate, E, provided with a push-spring and fitted in an undercut recess in said stock, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with afold-guide having a hinged folding-plate, 0, supported by its outer side on an overhanging arm, B, to which it is hinged, of the presser-foot F, having beveled or slanting ribs or serrations on its under side, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a sewing-machine fold guide, the combination, with block A, having agroove or guides on its under side, of tension-plate E, having arm e and spring 0, substantially as shown and described.

5. A fold-guide for sewing-machines, com prising astock, A, adjustable arm B, hinged folding-plate D, and spring or elastic tensionplate E, said several parts being constructed and combined for operation substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with ascwing-machine presser-foot, of a fold-guide having a hinged folding-plate and a tension-plate with pushspring, said foot resting upon or over the folding plate and the tension plate pressing against said folder, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of October, 1884.

JOHN w. nnwsns.

Witnesses:

LISLE SToKEs, M. D. OoNNoLLY. 

